Endorsed by Burghley—"2nd Feb. 1586. Memorial for the Scots Queen from Mr. Secretary Walsingham."
Hist. MSS. Com., Hatfield House Papers, Part iii. No. 471.
The Privy Council to the Queen
(1586-87) 12th Feb.—We, your born, bound, and sworn subjects, servants, and counsellors, attending in your court, for your service only, do most lowly, humbly, and sorrowfully pray and beseech your Majesty, that you will suspend your heavy sensure against us, until we may declare the intention of our late councils for the orderly removing of the danger of your life, and the manner of our proceedings therin.
And in the meantime, to the bottom of our hearts, we confess that we are most heartily sorry to hear that your Majesty is so deeply grieved in your mind, as thereby your health, the maintenance of your life, must needs be hindered, and the present government of your state being now environed with many difficulties, or rather dangers, for lack of your favourable audience to be given to us, must needs receive great detriment, and hardly to be recovered. And howsoever your Majesty doth make our actions to be the ground of your grief and offence towards us, wherof we are most sorry, yet we beseech your Majesty, in your great wisdom, though you will yet continue offended against us, yet cease to grieve yourself with thinking of that which never can be revoked, and let us hear your offence to our griefs, until it may please your Majesty either to hear us for our defence, or to change your mind, when you shall plainly see with the eyes of all your faithful subjects, that there was never any worldly act that could bring more surety to your own life, more strength to all your good subjects at home, and your friends abroad, nor, contrarywise, more grieve and discomfort your enemies, in seeing the anchor of their hold lost, and the foundation of all their intended machinations dissolved.
Thus, most gracious Lady, though we are most desirous to have your offence against us qualified, as we hope in God's goodness to obtain by means of the clearness of our consciences, yet we rather prefer with sobbing hearts our desire to have your grief of mind to cease, and to give yourself to your natural food and sleep, to maintain your health, without which we have no comfort to live or breathe.
Endorsed by Burghley—"A writing in the name of all the counsellors that sent Mr. Beale to the Earl of Shrewsbury."
Burghley's draft, 1½ pp.
Hist. MSS. Com., Hatfield House, vol. iii.